Everybody
loves a prediction. People that claim to hate sports predictions are just
jealous that no one cares what they have to say or that their predictions are never
right. But sometimes when making predictions, certain teams or groups of teams
are truly to close to call. On CHN or in preview mags, we do our best to slot
teams into specific spots, but sometimes you just want to say honestly, teams
A, B, and C are virtually the same and luck will determine how they finish.
You can't say that in a
Top 144 ranking, but I'm saying it here in a series of High-Low predictions.
Instead of plugging teams into specific spots, I'll give a range for each team's
finish and a few reasons why.

(How about the high production values with that picture?..)

ACC HIGH-LOW

* my projected finish in yellow

BOSTON COLLEGE

1

2

3

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7

8

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10

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12

BC is tailor-made
for this type of article. A team with a legit shot at making the Big Dance,
but also one that could slip deep into the ACC race if Biko Paris fails or
one of Sanders & Trapani gets injured.

CLEMSON

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

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12

Opinion is mixed
about Clemson depending on who you ask, but expect the Tigers to be a
tournament team that either goes home early or wins no more then a game.

DUKE

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

With Singler (due
for a monster season) & Scheyer back, Duke will still be right there in the
ACC race. 2nd seems like the likely finish.

FLORIDA STATE

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3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Despite losing
Toney Douglas, it's not all doom and gloom for FSU. Michael Snaer joins a
roster full of young and talented players. Whether this talent meshes or not
will determine which side of the Tourney bubble they fall.

GEORGIA TECH

1

2

3

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5

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7

8

9

10

11

12

Overrated by many
in my opinion, but still extremely dangerous, Tech can push UNC & Duke for
the title, but also find themselves on the Bubble if the young talent
doesn't mesh into a cohesive whole.

MARYLAND

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3

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7

8

9

10

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12

If Vasquez plays
at his best every time out, it's not crazy to think Maryland could push for
2nd in the league. 3rd-5th is more likely however, with the Terps making the
tournament for the 2nd season in a row.

MIAMI

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2

3

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5

6

7

8

9

10

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12

Miami loses
McClinton and 2 other key contributors and could certainly end up in a
battle with State for the ACC cellar. But the cupboard isn't bare, and Frank
Haith welcomes one of the U's best ever classes. How it all adds up, I'm not
sure.

NORTH CAROLINA

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8

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10

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12

We could talk all
day about the players leaving the program, but with NBA prospects like Davis
& Zeller returning along with a monster recruiting class, it's hard to
fathom a finish below 3rd in the conference.

NORTH CAROLINA
STATE

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2

3

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5

6

7

8

9

10

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12

It's hard to
imagine NC State finishing higher then 11th.. the talent just isn't there to
justify a higher prediction.

VIRGINIA

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3

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7

8

9

10

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12

With the likes of
Landesberg and Scott, UVA has some quality emerging talent. The real key
though is how well the team takes to Tony Bennett's system and whether it
can stand up to a full ACC schedule.

VIRGINIA TECH

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2

3

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5

6

7

8

9

10

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12

Most consider VT
a bubble or NIT team, but with Malcolm Delaney and an improving Jeff Allen,
the Hokies have enough talent to win games in a league that is perhaps as
wide-open as ever. VT could be a major surprise..

WAKE FOREST

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You can't lose
the likes of Jeff Teague and James Johnson and not regress somewhat, but
Wake's 09-10 demise is being overdone by some. .

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About Shawn Siegel

ColumnistShawn Siegel - Head Editor

Contactshawn@collegehoops.net

Background

Shawn Siegel created CollegeHoops.net (formerly collegehoopsnet.com) back in the summer of 2002, and it has since grown into the web's largest independent college basketball site, visited by over 1,000,000 visitors per year. Shawn is responsible for the CHN Top 50,Bracketology projections (he is ranked the #1 Bracketologist over the last 4 years), as well the NBA Mock Draft.

Shawn's college basketball and NBA Draft commentary has been quoted in dozens of national newspapers, and he's been a featured guest on numerous radio programs.

After graduating from Washington University and Washington University Law School before, Shawn passed the New Jersey Bar exam but no longer practices Law. For more on his background, visit hisLinkedIn profile.

Please email him at shawn@collegehoops.net with all media requests, advertising inquiries, and partnership opportunities.